Dove House Hospice Reimbursed For Care Provided To Mesothelioma Victim

A hospice in Hull has expressed its delight after being presented with a cheque for more than £26,000 to cover the costs for caring for one of their patients prior to his death from an asbestos-related disease.

Hull joiner Arthur Gibson died in July 2016, aged just 69, 14 months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a lung cancer commonly associated with the exposure to hazardous asbestos substances decades ago.

Specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell were instructed by Arthur and his wife Beatrice (Lesley) to launch an investigation into how he developed the illness, and Lesley has continued with the case following her husband’s death. 

The legal team in Leeds were successful in securing a settlement from the insurers of Frederick Singleton & Sons Limited (now Simons of Hull Limited) after it was determined that Arthur had been exposed to asbestos during his employment there from 1969 to 1970 where he cut asbestos sheets to size in the manufacture of fire doors.

A landmark legal judgment secured in a previous case run by Irwin Mitchell allows for the costs of hospice care to be recovered from the employers liability insurers during a claim for asbestos exposure.

Dove House Hospice in Hull cared for Arthur towards the end of his life, and as a result of the successful settlement in his case, the hospice costs are also being reimbursed to the significant sum of £26,315.52.  To date, the amount recovered by Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office for Dove House Hospice now totals more than £84,500.

Expert Opinion

“In many communities, hospices play such an important role in helping families and their loved ones during difficult times. We are pleased that we have been able to assist Dove House Hospice in their care of patients by reclaiming a significant sum of money to help with their costs. It is a way for the families to say thank you.” Oliver Collett - Partner

A cheque was presented to Dove House Hospice on Tuesday 16 April, and Chief Executive Anna Wolkowski said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to those involved in this case.  The money will go a long way in helping to fund the care and support we provide here, which is so important to our patients and their loved ones.”

Following the settlement, Lesley said: “While nothing will bring Arthur back, the care he received towards the end of his life from Dove House Hospice was brilliant and I am pleased that Irwin Mitchell have been able to recover the costs involved which will go on to help future patients.”

Matthew Blagojevic, Marketing Manager for Dove House Hospice added: “The hospice is a core part of the health provision in our region, providing excellent services and support to residents of Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire who have a life limiting illness.  Originally created as a place where ‘greater provision should be made for the incurably sick in a loving atmosphere’, the community came together and recognised that something needed to be done to give those in need better care and support.  That special community spirit has continued, whether it’s supporting Dove House Hospice financially or through the giving of time.

“The charity’s first shop opened its doors on Hull’s Beverley Road back in the early 1980s, with funds now generated for the hospice at 36 retail outlets across Hull and East Yorkshire, accounting for around 50% of the charity’s overall income.

“Increasingly, the hospice is having to think more creatively about how it generates funds to continue work and generate new services for patients.

“Since first accepting patients in 1991, the buildings and grounds at the hospice have developed alongside the changes in the care we provide.  While a lot has changed, one thing has remained the same – keeping patients and their needs at the heart of everything we do.”

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